39th Tokyo Film Festival Opens on a Rain-Soaked Red Carpet, Runs Until November 4

The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival has opened despite the rain. After continuous rain over the weekend due to a typhoon, the opening event came alive on Monday evening with a rain-soaked red carpet, the presence of stars and the enthusiasm of film lovers. Screenings began in full swing from Tuesday, and sunshine returned to the sky on Wednesday.

The festival will run until November 4. Tokyo's Hibiya, Yurakucho, Marunouchi and Ginza areas now have a festive film atmosphere, and the Japanese capital has become a gathering place for filmmakers, actors and film lovers from around the world. Alongside screenings, international cooperation, developing new talent and expanding the global market for Japanese cinema are also receiving attention this year.

On the first day, the red carpet was held at the Step Square of Tokyo Midtown Hibiya. Spectators waited in raincoats, ignoring the rain, while guests arrived holding transparent umbrellas bearing the festival logo. Festival navigator Kento Nakajima said, 'It was raining, but it felt like life-giving rain.'

Alongside guests connected to films in the festival's 11 sections, judges from the four competition sections also walked the red carpet. Indonesian director Garin Nugroho and actor Nicholas Saputra came with 'Red Before Dawn', a film set against a historical and political backdrop.

'Heysel 85', based on a tragic incident arising from a horrific clash at a football stadium, was represented by Belgium-based director Teodora Ana Mihai and actress Violette Braeckman. Director Milcho Manchevski of North Macedonia and the United States was joined by Sara Klimovska and Filip Trajkovic, actors in 'Sister Brother Manhole Cover'.

Chinese director Qiu Jiongjiong and actors Wang He and Xu Shuchuan came with 'Fuxi: Four Tales of Fisting'. Iranian filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi attended with Murat Yildirim and Iram Yildirim, actors in 'Trees Are Watching'. Azamat Shargin, director of 'Shirmayukh', about the harsh realities of Kazakhstan, also walked the red carpet.

The presence of Japanese film artists and makers was also notable. Representatives of the three Japanese films selected for the competition section — Akira Ikeda's 'The Canary's Lullaby', Yukiko Mishima's 'Two Cigarettes, Three Nights' and Akira Yamamoto's 'The Intertwining' — took part, as did artists and makers from the 'Nippon Now' section.

Towards the end of the red carpet came the cast of the opening film 'Sukiyaki' — Junichi Okada, Tori Matsuzaka and Nana Seino — and director Jeje Takahisa. Bill Kramer, chief executive of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the body that awards the Oscars, attended with other top officials of the organisation. After the red carpet, guests joined the opening ceremony at the neighbouring Hulic Hall.

At the opening ceremony, Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ryosei Akazawa, highlighted the economic importance of the country's film and content industry. He said overseas sales of Japan's content industry have reached about 6.1 trillion yen, establishing the sector as one of the country's most important industries. He also noted that alongside film, manga, anime and merchandising and events around their intellectual property are creating new markets.

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi joined the opening ceremony by video message. She said film connects people across national borders and increases mutual understanding between different cultures.